LARRY Bird wanted to have his future with the Pacers resolved long before the playoffs began. The plan was to negotiate with Melvin and Herb Simon, Indiana’s owners, during February’s All-Star break and clarify his situation one way or the other; either the lame duck coach would become team president next season or return to his home in Jupiter, Fla.

It turned out to be none of the above. Instead of meeting, the two sides bargained through top executive Donnie Walsh, the man who hired Bird and equipped him with players competent enough to compete for a championship in each of his three years on the sidelines. But an understanding could not be agreed upon within that specified time frame.

In other words, Bird was asking for too much money and the Simons weren’t offering enough.

“So I told ’em let’s push it back until after the season,” Bird said matter-of-factly.

Many uninformed people, especially wishing well Bostonians, are convinced Bird is playing Stall Ball in hopes of persuading Celtic owner Paul Gaston to sell (Lenny Wilkens has a better chance of replacing Rick Pitino) to a group of big spending friends of his from Florida.

Others equally unaware, many of them Pacer fans, are certain Bird isn’t coming back because his two children are enrolled for school next fall in Florida.

“My kids are also enrolled in Indiana schools,” Bird divulged.

While, obviously, he’s prepared for any eventuality, in talking to Bird for all of 10 minutes, I couldn’t help but get the distinct impression he’s going to stay in Indiana where he belongs.

Why? Because he says stuff like, “I’d love to put together my own team. I’ve always wanted to do that, just to see what I could do.”

That’s exactly what was behind Bird’s decision – against the advice of countless confidants – to get into coaching. He just wanted to see what he could accomplish. Despite three straight trips to the Eastern Conference finals, he’s not pleased by the results.

“I’ve really enjoyed coaching. It’s a great experience. Every player should have the chance to do it. The problem is, I’m not that good at it,” says Bird, who calls the offensive plays a lot more frequently these days than ever before, yet still appears exceedingly uncomfortable, and often unresponsive, in his role as tactician and disciplinarian.

“I’ve gotten better, but I’m still not that good at it. The biggest mistake I made was not becoming an assistant for a couple years to get the hang of it before taking on such a responsibility. Yes, had I done it the right way, I would’ve stayed longer than three years as a head coach.”

When Bird accepted the job he had one lofty goal and one goal only, which remains unrealized. No, believe it or not, it’s not winning a title. It’s actually more pure and unselfish than that.

“I just want to see the faces of our older players when we reach The Finals,” Bird says.

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THIS just in: The NBA says Isiah Thomas has to cut his CBA ties before he can be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Nets owner Lewis Katz became so giddy at Thomas’ induction he retired his number.

Lenny Wilkens says he was offered the Illinois job, but admits it’s still a bit premature whether he’ll accept the Republican nomination to run for senator of New York.

So Tim Duncan needed a partial lateral menisectomy performed on his left knee, after all. In a related surgery, Spurs team doctor David Schmidt removed Avery Johnson’s foot from his mouth.

Duncan is expected to be sidelined six-to-eight weeks. He says the operation will not affect his negotiations with Grant Hill.

If you’re keeping score, Kobe Bryant received one vote for most improved and two votes for most engaged.

Meanwhile, Shaquille O’Neal received two votes for most improved in a poll conducted by the OrlandoSentinel, one of them cast by Fred Hickman.

Soon after the Lakers’ Game 2 loss to the Blazers, sources say Jeff Van Gundy met with Jerry Buss.

The 29-point victory was the second biggest win in Blazer history. The first was the exiling of J.R. Rider and Jimmy Jackson to Atlanta.

If the Lakers expect to recapture their home-court advantage tonight, they need to do a much better job with their offensive rebounding off Shaq’s missed free throws.

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MIKE Jarvis turned down the Wizards job after watching the tapes of the Gar Heard firing.

Then again, maybe Michael Jordan’s incentive program had something to do with it. It seems the Pinhead Wizard believes his team is a living lock to make the playoffs next season, thus offered Jarvis no bonuses in that regard, only 100G extra if Washington made the second round. Not that Jordan wasn’t generous. Had Jarvis won Coach of the Year during his tour, or coached the East All-Star team, he would’ve banked 500G either/or.

This just in: Referee Ron “Wacko” Garretson admits he doesn’t have a no-staring clause in his contract.

Mike Fratello received three phone calls from a Clipper representative (team VP Andy Roeser, I assume) professing Donald Sterling’s love for him and how the owner planned to commit to signing outstanding free agents and dedicate himself to changing the franchise’s stained image. The fourth call to Fratello broached a 2-year contract. End of discussion.

This is why legitimate head coaching prospects prefer to work elsewhere as assistants than be considered for the Paper Clips.

John Lucas, interviewed some time ago, apparently is now the hot candidate. We can only hope it’s true. I can’t wait to rename them the Roach Clips.